1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of data connection setups, and more particularly, to the transparent data connection setup allowing for multimedia collaboration through the exchange of Internet protocol (IP) address.
2. Description of the Related Art
As computer networking becomes more available and more widespread, most business organizations have grown to rely heavily on network services. Similarly, individuals are incorporating computers into all aspect of their daily lives and are beginning to rely on network services. As a result, it has come to be generally accepted that multimedia collaboration will enhance the quality of communication, and lifestyle for both business organizations and the average consumer. The complexity of setting up multimedia connections, however, has deterred its widespread use. Although most people can make a telephone call without undue effort, not everyone can set up a computer to make a multimedia collaboration to share data in real-time. For example, to establish a simple voice connection, an individual must simply lift up the handset of a telephone and dial the phone number of the desired party. To establish a data connection for multimedia communication, however, an individual needs the data address of the computer to be called (i.e., the IP address if the called computer has a LAN that is based on TCP/IP). Obtaining the IP address of a computer a caller wishes to communicate with, however, is often a frustrating process.
The type of computer used to establish a multimedia communication is virtually unlimited and may include a personal computer, a workstation, or a portable computer, etc. The computer merely needs to be coupled to the network, typically through use of a modem, or similar communications adapter, connected to a serial port of the computer. Through this connection, the computer has access to the network and the services and resources thereon. The computer typically includes the ability to interoperate with a dynamic Internet protocol (IP) address assignment. Some protocols such as TCP/IP require any node on the network to have an IP address to communicate on the network. By having multiple servers on the network, however, there is the potential that IP addresses will be assigned dynamically to all nodes on the network. Thus, the dynamic aspect of most IP addresses further complicates the ability of a typical user in routinely establishing a multimedia connection with another user over the network. Since an individual""s IP address may vary from use to use.
In the modern office, most individuals have a telephone on their desk with a connection to the PBX or to the central office and a desktop computer connected to the local area network (LAN). Traditionally, establishing a multimedia communication is accomplished by first creating a voice connection via the telephone and then obtaining from the called party the IP address of the called party""s computer. Once the IP address of the called party""s computer has been ascertained, the caller can enter this IP address into his computer and make a connection over the data network between the two computers. As shall be illustrated below, however, this procedure is both convoluted and error-prone.
To establish a multimedia collaboration between two individuals, one current procedure involves multiple steps requiring human interaction. Thus, the current procedure of establishing a multimedia collaboration is very prone to human error. As shall be illustrated in FIG. 1, for example, Person A has access to both a telephone 10 and a computer 12, and likewise, Person B has access to both a telephone 14 and a computer 16. Person A""s telephone 10 is connected to Person B""s telephone 14 via either the PBX or the central office line 18, whereas both Person A""s computer 12 and Person B""s computer 16 are connected to the local area network (LAN). To establish a multimedia collaboration between Person A and Person B, Person A must call Person B over the telephone and ask for Person B""s IP address. The typical IP address is a 12 digit, often dynamic, number that Person B must determine and then recite to Person A. To then establish the multimedia collaboration, Person A must then enter Person B""s IP address into a multimedia collaboration application. This method is very prone to human error.
There are several opportunities for human error in the above-described method. First, Person B must be able to locate (i.e., determine or find) the IP address associated with his computer network connection. The IP address is generally represented by a 12 digit number. This 12 digit number is sometimes dynamic (i.e., varying from use to use) and thus is often unfamiliar to a user. In reciting the 12 digit number to Person A, Person B must correctly relay the IP address and not misread or transpose any digits, or collaboration will not be possible. Further, assuming Person B has correctly recited the correct IP address, Person A must still correctly enter the 12 digit number representing Person B""s IP address into the multimedia application in order to establish the desired connection. Thus there is the potential for human error at a minimum of three instances in the attempt by Person A and B to establish the desired multimedia connection. Another prior art attempt to establish a multimedia connection is illustrated in FIG. 2. In this second described attempt at establishing a multimedia connection, Person A must still call Person B over the analog telephone line 28. Person A and Person B then agree upon a unique token number for the service provider. Both Person A and Person B hang up their respective telephones 20 and 24 (thus saving on the toll charge) and each contact the data network 29 from their respective computers 22 and 26. Person A and Person B will then contact a separate server 25 (the method of connecting this additional server 25 is already known by both parties) and provide the unique number agreed upon. Once contacting the server 25, each individual will inquire if the specified unique number has already been established. If it has, that respective individual retrieves the IP address from the other individual, while if it has not, that respective person leaves his respective IP address for the other. As with the above described technique, this second technique is also prone to error in that both Person A and Person B must correctly write down and subsequently enter the agreed upon unique number. Additionally, this second technique has the added requirement of a separate server 25.
Each of the known methods of establishing a multimedia collaboration are not only time consuming, they are also significantly prone to human error and quite often confusingly complicated for the unsophisticated user. A method establishing a multimedia communication that would eliminate the cumbersome procedure of first setting up a voice-related data connection and then verbally exchanging IP addresses will not only be less time-consuming, but also be more reliable due to the reduction of human involvement. Further, a method that would establish a data connection for multimedia communication that is transparent to the user and virtually error free will save a significant amount of time and expense.
The present invention provides a system and method for providing an IP address of a user""s computer and establishing a transparent data connection setup allowing multimedia collaboration. In the present invention, both the first and second user have telephones connected to the PBX or central office and desktop computers connected to the local area network. Additionally, each user""s telephone is connected to that respective user""s computer via a parallel, serial, or USB cable. The system software of the present invention is comprised of a standard third party multimedia collaboration tool and a monitoring application initiated with the start-up of the computer.
In using the present invention, the first user (or the caller) establishes a voice call by dialing the second user (or the called), and then presses a key on the telephone to initiate the data collaboration. The caller""s telephone will contact the caller""s monitor application running on the caller""s desktop computer and will retrieve the caller""s current IP address-and deliver it to the caller""s telephone. The called telephone will then receive the IP address of the caller and forward it to the called""s desktop computer. The caller""s application will then start a multimedia collaboration application with the IP address of the caller""s computer.